Detective Brian Cassidy is back, and his ex-girlfriend learns his darkest secret.
Law and Order: SVU “Facing Demons”
Season 20, Episode 16
Airdate: 2/21/2019
BY: JACOB POLITTE
Staff Writer
In the fourteenth episode of season 19, “Chasing Demons,” former SVU detective and current District Attorney Investigator Brian Cassidy is suspected of murdering a perverted doctor after costing ADA Peter Stone the win in a trial against him. He’s eventually cleared, and while apologizing to Stone, reveals the real reason why he left the SVU in 2000: he was molested by his little league coach 15 years beforehand, and working in the SVU just became too much for him to handle. He specifically asked Stone not to let Benson know about it.
Benson and Cassidy have always had a complicated relationship. The two hooked up in Season 1 before his departure, and then crossed paths nearly a decade and a half later, where they resumed their relationship for another year or so. They even lived together at one point before Benson adopted Noah. These are two characters that clearly have some sort of attraction towards one another, but have openly acknowledged that there is no way that a relationship between the two will last.
Cassidy has always been a hothead, and he always seems to find himself in a bad situation. Most of the time, that situation is of his own making. This time, that wasn’t the case.
In “Facing Demons,” Cassidy’s abuser resurfaces when another victim commits suicide, and SVU is put on the case. The trail leads to Gary Dolan, who owns a magic shop where the victim used to shop. Dolan was also Cassidy’s little league coach, and Benson discovers this when looking at a team photo found at the crime scene.
Benson confronts Cassidy with this information, and he denies ever being molested to her. We later find out that this is because he doesn’t want Benson to see him as a victim, or for her to treat him like one. This is completely understandable, and something that a lot of victims go through. Benson’s story hit a nerve with him though, and the only thing that stops Cassidy from killing Dolan is Stone, who stops him from breaking into Dolan’s apartment when he is about to do the deed.
This episode focuses on Cassidy and him coming to terms with what happened to him in 1985. Throughout the hour, he refuses to testify against Dolan at his trial, not wanting to face his demons. He clearly is not ok, but he does show up at the courthouse at the episode’s end to confront his abuser, and Benson finally convinces him to testify.
We don’t see the verdict, and we don’t need to. The episode was never about its initial victim, and it wasn’t necessarily about Gary Dolan either. It was strictly about Cassidy, and his path to acceptance. I hope that the next time that we see Cassidy, whenever that may be, that he is a different character, one who is happier and not weighed down by his past.
JACOB’S FINAL VERDICTS:
– This is a completely random reminder that has absolutely nothing to do with this episode’s plot: In “Chasing Demons” the murder weapon was a fidget spinner. That is still the most insane murder weapon I’ve ever seen on this show; it’s right up there with the exploding knife from Season 12.
– Cassidy wasn’t Dolan’s only victim, and seeing Cassidy’s teammate Leo’s heartbreaking testimony get thrown out because of his intoxication was really sad to see. Dolan’s abuse ruined his life.
– Benson’s incredulity about Cassidy not telling her about what happened to him, but Stone instead was very much part of the reason that he probably didn’t tell her. You don’t need to know everything, Lieutenant.
– I would like to see Cassidy on the show more regularly, but I really hope that this episode wasn’t the start of a rekindled romantic relationship between him and Benson. I don’t want to see that again.
– Dean Winters is a great actor, and gave a fantastic performance this episode.
